


Help Me And I'll Save You

by CoyoteDeLaLune



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Siblings, Robot, Siblings, Supportive sibling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 07:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19224586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoyoteDeLaLune/pseuds/CoyoteDeLaLune
Summary: Number Nine has a crippling fear of metal due to the training she has been forced to endure by her "father." So, when Grace finally shows up in the Umbrella Academy, she will have to confide in her favorite sibling, Digeo. But will he be enough to protect her from her family and her fears?





	Help Me And I'll Save You

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally written with two other original characters in it. This is why Navia is number nine and Vayna is number ten (she still needed to be last). But since the other two OCs belong to my friends and not me, I have removed them from the story. So if something seems to be missing, that is why.

It was the morning, just before the wake-up call, and Number Nine was still stuck in her dreamless sleep. But then she stirred awake at exactly 8:45, just like every morning. Number Nine sat up quietly in her bed, keeping her gaze in her lap. She pulled the covers off of herself, climbed out of the bed, and replaced the blankets perfectly. The young Russian then exited her room and made her way to the kitchen. 

“Number Nine, sit down. Quickly,” Reginald addressed the child. 

Number Nine said nothing; she just nodded and sat in her seat. A bowl was placed in front of her by the new nanny. Oatmeal as always. She started to eat just so the food would disappear sooner. By the time she was done, there were only two other people at the table; Number Ten and Number Four. Number Nine tapped the shin of the boy to get his attention. He looked up, oatmeal smudged all over his face, and gave her a smile. She returned the smile before getting up and putting her bowl in the sink. On the way out of the kitchen, she placed a friendly hand on Number Ten’s shoulder.

Number Nine was on her way to the courtyard when she heard a muffled voice from the hall. She decided to check it out and followed the noise all the way to Number Two’s room. She knocked on the door and the talking stopped. There was some rustling before the door was pulled open. Number Two was standing in the door frame with a nervous look on his face, but once he saw who was there he relaxed a little. 

“Oh. Hey Nine,” Number Two said while scratching the back of his head. He stepped aside and motioned for his sister to walk in. Once she got in, Number Nine sat on the bed and Number Two shut the door.

“You practicing your stutter again, Two?” she asked. 

Number Two nodded his head and faced the mirror, either ashamed or embarrassed. Number Nine stood up and walked over to her brother. She turned him around.

“Don’t be ashamed, Two,” she said as she gave him a hug. He didn’t return it but she knew that he appreciated it. “Would you like me to help you?”

Number Nine felt her brother’s head nod up against her chest. He pulled himself away and turned back toward the mirror. He then took a stabilizing breath. 

“D-Don-Do-Don’t.”

“See,” Number Nine pointed at the mirror. “You got this.”

Number Two smiled at her with a new found enthusiasm. He stared into the mirror to try some more. “Mo-M-Mov-Move.”

“Yes!” Nine and Two shared a high five. “You did so well.”

“What’s got you two so happy?” A voice came from the now open door. It was the new nanny. Number Two rushed toward her.

“Numb-Number Nine helped m-me to g-et throu-ough some words!”

“Well, that’s amazing,” she responded proudly. “Thank you… Nine? Is that your name?”

Number Nine nodded.

The nanny looked down at the young boy “And what’s your name?”

“Number Two.”

“Oh, sweethearts. Those aren’t names; those are numbers. You all are going to need proper names,” she said with a smile and turned to leave the room. “Come along, I’m calling the rest of your siblings in the family room. We are going to change this.”

Number Nine and Number Two shared a confused and concerned look but eventually followed anyway. Once they got to the family room they were met with the back of their father’s chair.

“What are you two doing in here? You should be outside.”

“The new nanny asked us to meet in here,” Number Nine answered. “She said that she was getting the other too.”

“Very well,” their father replied. “Sit down and stay quiet.”

And that’s what they did. The two kids only had to wait for a little before the rest of their siblings filed into the room. Number Four was about to come bursting into the room but one of his other siblings made a head gesture toward Reginald in the chair. Four was disappointed but sulked silently over to the couch anyway. Then the nanny walked in with Number Ten.

“Perfect, now that you’re all here we can get started,” she said.

There was the soft sound of a book closing. The children’s adoptive father stood up and walked over to stand next to the nanny. “I guess now is a better time than ever to get this over with. This is Grace. Your new mother figure. I built her to be able to care for you all in an emotional way and a medical way. She has been programmed to have already known everything about each of your personalities, so she should have no problem supporting any of you…”

“So she’s a chunk of metal with feelings?” Number Nine mumbled to Number Two. He could hear the unease in her voice.

“Did you have something important to say Number Nine?” Reginald asked.

The Russian girl lowered her head. “No Sir.”

“Good. Now, I believe there is a reason you called all the children into here Grace. I shall leave you to continue with your business.”

And with that, he left. Grace watched with a calm smile as he walked up the stairs. Once his footsteps could no longer be heard she turned back to the children.

“I have noticed that none of you have real names. Would you mind if I gave you some proper ones?”

“We don’t need some rusty robot giving us an identity that we can make for ourselves,” Number One stood up. 

“Hmm, you’re strong both in body and spirit. How about Luther? It means army in some dialects of German.”

Number One sat back down. “Luther actually doesn’t sound that bad.”

“Oh perfect,” Grace said with joy.

“Oo, oo,” Number Four waved his hand. “Do me next.”

“Oh, how about Klaus for you? It means ‘the people’s victory’. You can grow to help lost people find  _ their  _ victory.”

“That’s cool,” Number Four ogled at Grace. “I like Klaus, it’s pretty.”

“Well, I’m thrilled you like it. How about you, little one?” She asked as she faced Number Six. “Ben has a nice ring to it.”

“What does it mean?” Number Six murmured.

“It means ‘son of’, and I find that just perfect because you can make whatever name you want for yourself after that.”

Ben smiled. “Thank you, mom.”

Everyone hesitated a little when Ben said this. They had just been introduced to this “mother-figure” and he had already called her mom. But coming from Ben it felt right. 

Number Five leans forward. “What’s the meaning of the name Five?”

“There is really no concrete meaning for the name,” Grace pondered. “But it has been found to have been used in multiple cultures.”

“Sick,” Number Five reacted. “I’d like to keep that name.”

“If that makes you happy, Five,” Grace smiled.

Five side-smiled back. “Thanks, mom.”

“Well, why don’t we finish the boys, shall we?” Grace faced Number Two and thought for a moment. “Oh, I know. How about Diego? It means ‘supersede’ or to ‘supersede and replace’. I like to think that you have the ability to take down what is unjust and replace it with what’s right.”

Diego smirked to himself. “Nice.”

“Great, now onto the girls,” Grace addressed as she turned to face Number Three. “Let’s see about you, dear. What you say becomes true; so how about Allison? It means truth.”

“It’s perfect,” she responded with an evil smirk.

Grace showed a motherly smile. She then shifted to face Number Ten. “Now little one, how about Vanya: ‘gracious gift of God’. I think it fits perfectly.”

Vanya just nodded her head trying to suppress the hopeful look in her eyes.

“And, last but not least, Number Nine.”

“Actually, I’m ok. Um,” the girl responded. She seemed fine on the outside, but Diego could tell that she was freaking out. He placed his hand on her knee giving it a reassuring squeeze. Number Nine let out a sigh and nodded her head.

“Oh good, now how about Jessica? You are a gift to this world and that’s exactly the meaning of the name.”

“Okay,” Jessica said just loud enough for everyone to understand her. Diego was concerned but knew better than to confront her about it in front of everyone else. 

“Now children, why don’t you go finish playing? It’ll be time to train soon.”

All the kids rushed out of the room with a new found excitement. Some calls of “thanks mom” could be heard before it got quiet again. 

Diego went back to his room and dragged Jessica there with him. Once they were behind the closed door he sat her on the bed. Diego then knelt in front of her and looked up.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think I like my name,” she mumbled back.

Diego was confused. “Why not? We finally have a mo-mother and she was nice enough to give us real n-names.”

“She’s a robot, Diego.”

“And?”

Jessica was starting to get impatient. “Robots are made of metal, genius.”

Realization washed over the knife wielder. “Oh. Shoot that’s right.”

The sister shook her head. “It’s ok. At least she doesn’t look or act like a robot, I guess.”

Diego was about to answer before he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Number Tw- Um I mean, Diego. Have you seen, um, Jessica?” Came Luther’s voice.

Jessica stood up and opened the door. Luther was about to speak again until he saw her face. “Oh good, you’re right here. Now come on, Father is busy but still wants us to train. He wants you to be first. Let's go and get started.”

Luther turned around, expecting his sister to follow. But when he didn’t hear her footsteps he turned back around. In the door frame was the girl looking at the floor with her hair covering her face. “Jessica, come on.”

Jessica’s head shot up and there were tears streaming down her face. “No! I finally have a chance to have a break from that torture machine and you want to drag me there yourself?”

“Oh come on, it’s not that bad,” Luther rolled his eyes.

“You’ve never seen how I train! How could you know?” She screamed back, fully crying now.

Luther sighed. “I didn’t want to do it this way Number Nine. Dad said you might resist, and now that you have we’re going to have to do this the hard way.” With that, he pulled out two thick metal bracelets.

“No,” Jessica breathed out. 

“Are you sick?” Diego exclaimed, stepping in front of Jessica. “How dare you even think about using those on your own sister.”

“I’m just following orders Number Two. Maybe if you did the same, you’d be closer to being Number One,” Luther taunted in anger. 

“You-” Diego started before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He let an angry breath leave his lungs. He then repositioned into a defensive stance, brandishing a knife. “You want to torture your own family? Fine. That’s your own sick problem. But you’re going to have to get through me first.”

Luther groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Number Two, there’s no time for-”

“My name is Diego!” he asserted. “And what I said still stands. Now go find a different sibling to  _ train _ for Father.”

The two brothers glared at each other intensely. Eventually, Luther gave up. “Fine, you win. But if Father says anything, you’re the one who has to answer for this.”

“Gladly,” Diego sneered at Luther’s retreating back. Once he was out of sight he turned back and faced Jessica. She was still crying. Diego placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, it’s ok. You’re not going back there now.”

“Thank you,” Jessica said softly before hugging her brother. “Thank you so much.”

Diego wrapped his arms around her. “Of course. Anytime.”

Jessica pulled away a little bit. “And did you notice that you didn’t stutter? Not even once while you were talking to Luther.”

“I-I didn’t?” The boy was quite surprised. 

“Yes,” His sister managed to smile. “I’ve always told you that you would be able to have a strong threatening voice. I knew you had it in you.”

Diego let out an impressed laugh. “Well, I gu-guess saving you was the least I could do after you help-ed me with my stu-stutter. Dang it.”

Jessica shook her head and smiled endearingly. “Don’t sweat it, Diego. This is huge progress.”

“Thank you, Jessica,” Diego gave his sister once last squeeze before letting go of the hug. 

Jessica frowned. “Hey, can you call me by a different name? I like the way  _ mom  _ is, but I’m still scared.”

“Sure,” Diego reassured instantly. “What did you have in mind?”

Number Nine pondered for a second. Then a light bulb seemed to go off in her head. “Navia. I like Navia.”

“Then N-Nav-Na-Navi-Navi-a-Navia it is,” Diego smiled. Then it fell almost guiltily. “Can I maybe just call you N-Navi? That’s easier for me right now.”

“Of course Diego!” Navia smiled the brightest she had in years. “Now, we should probably go back in your room before we’re caught out of training.”

“Good idea,” Diego said, already halfway to the door. “Ladies first.”

“Oh, what a gentleman,” Navia rolled her eyes before the both of them broke out into a fit of laughing. 

Things were never going to be perfect, probably won’t even be good. But at least Diego had someone there to help him when he needed it. And at least Navi had someone there to save her whenever she was in trouble.


End file.
